ARCONA Tabula Rasa Pads, $24/45pads @ arcona.com, skincarerx.com, dermstore.com, skinstore.com, Nordstrom
These little pads are fantastic as a treatment to prevent blemishes, and/or as a treatment during the week to exfoliate and keep your pores unclogged. I use them when I feel a breakout coming on or at the beginning of a breakout, and the spots either don't appear at all or are significantly reduced. I can't use them more than two or three nights (I only use at night) in a row or they start to dry me out. I don't know that I would recommend them on a daily basis unless you have really oily skin and can tolerate something this heavy duty.
The container comes with an inside lid that helps keep them moist. I have tried putting them into a smaller jar for travel, but each one of the three I have tried dry the pads out, and the solution ends up leaking. That little inside lid has some kind of magic to keep them moist!
The pads feel almost as though there is less solution on them as compared to the ARCONA Raspberry Clarifying pads (reviewed here), but I think this is only because they contain lactic acid and tea tree oil - not as 'wet' of a solution as in the Raspberry pads.
One side is smooth and untextured.
The other side is raised and slightly textured, but not at all scratchy.
This spot specific acne fighting formula heals blemishes and reduces enlarged pores, soothes ingrown hairs and razor burn. Exfoliate, unclog pores, combat skin eruptions and kill bacteria with lactic acid. Stimulate cell renewal with allantoin and grape seed extract. Cleanse and increase circulation with naturally antiseptic witch hazel.
I'd have to disagree with the soothing ingrown hairs and razor burn claim. I actually found them slightly stingy on active blemishes and around my bikini line. Oh, and be careful when applying around your nose. It can be potent and a little noxious for very brief time. I usually have to kind of hold my breath when applying around my nose, and then by the time I'm ready to exhale it has dissipated.
I've gone through about three containers of these, and just started on my fourth. I do really enjoy these pads, but after this lot I don't think I will repurchase. They have definitely helped get me through some frustrating skin times, but I'm trying to streamline by routine a bit and I feel these are redundant in my routine - I have other products that do the same thing and more. I think part of my problem over the past year (besides using products I didn't realize were clogging my skin) has been using too many products that achieve many of the same goals, and therefore being harsher on my skin than need be.
However, for anyone out there looking to find an acne fighter/treatment to replace what you feel isn't that effective, then I think these are a really great place to look!! And if you don't like the idea of pads, there is also an ARCONA Tabula Rasa solution (no pads). This is really great for spot treating areas because you can use it with a q-tip and be more specific in your application.
ARCONA Tabula Rasa Pads ingredients:
Agua (Distilled Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Lactic Acid, Geranium Oil, Allantoin, Fumaric Acid, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Menthol